Today I join my community, my industry and the world in mourning the loss and celebrating the life of my dear sister, friend, and ally, Aretha Franklin. I send my love and offer prayers of grace and peace to the members of her family, her friends and colleagues who walked alongside her and shared her with tens of millions of fans around the world.I have so many fond memories of Aretha. Throughout her career, I was blessed to share her music and her iconic story. I am humbled to have been a part of her journey and to have served as an eyewitness to the evolution of her artistry and the formation of her legacy.

For more than 60 years, Aretha Franklin shared her gift and touched the world. She was a musical pioneer whose voice defines an era, amplifies a sound and reflects the range of who we are as black people. It is no wonder that Rolling Stone Magazine listed her as number one on its list of “100 Greatest Singers of All Time.”

Aretha’s music commanded “R-E-S-P-E-C-T,” and that song not only became a rallying cry during the civil rights movement but also served as an anthem for women who still identify with its message, today. Her timeless classics also became historical markers in our personal journeys and our collective story as a community. She understood her progress was our progress, her success was our success, and when the door opened for her, it opened for us as well. Aretha was unapologetically black. She was committed to black music and black radio. She understood its role in her career and remained loyal to our company across the years.

Like many of our musicians, Aretha’s musical roots are embedded in the black church, and gospel music was at her core. Her talent transcended genres and not only earned her the title of the “Queen of Soul” but also the distinction of being the first woman to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. And while many will remember her for all of the titles she has received, I believe, Aretha Franklin, in her own words, said it best, “being a singer is a natural gift. It means I’m using to the highest degree possible the gift that God gave me to use. I’m happy with that.” And Aretha Franklin, so are we. Rest in peace my sister.

1. 1942

2. 1967

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3. 1968

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4. 1977

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5. 1979

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6. 1987

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7. 1993

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8. 1994

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9. 1998

This is one of my favorite Aretha Franklin stories...two hours before the Grammys telecast in 1998, Luciano Pavarotti cancelled due to illness. Aretha Franklin sang Nessun Dorma that night with little notice. pic.twitter.com/OroqA5CZ37

10. 2014

11. 2009

12. 2018

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Continue reading Aretha Franklin Timeline: Milestones And Achievements By The Queen Of Soul

Aretha Franklin Timeline: Milestones And Achievements By The Queen Of Soul

Aretha Franklin will always and forever be the Queen of Soul. It hasn't even been a year since we lost the icon and today she would have been 77 years old. We are still mourning the loss of a national treasure but thankfully the world will always have the music.
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With a career that began in the late 1950s, she earned 18 Grammy Awards, 112 charted singles on the Billboard Hot 100 and over 75 million albums sold. Aretha broke down barriers and defined soul music for generations. Her unmatched singing voice helped her create timeless hits like “Respect” and “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman” on her way to being rightfully crowned as the Queen of Soul.
Franklin experienced worldwide singing success for the better part of 60 years, releasing dozens of studio albums and ultimately becoming the first woman to ever be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987. In addition, she put on a number of signature performances over the years, including most notably at the funeral of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., in 1968 and in 2009 at the inauguration of President Barack Obama, who became the first African-American commander-in-chief.
Franklin also had a commitment to justice and equality that was instilled in her at a young age, the Rev. Jesse Jackson recalled to Vogue while celebrating her 74th birthday party in 2016.
“She always had a great sense of social justice,” Jackson said at the time. “When Dr. King took a position against the Vietnam War, and he was being attacked by the Democrats and the Republicans and many of the black churches, Aretha did a 10-city tour with him and Harry Belafonte in ’67 for free. We got on the stage in Houston—I was thinking about this when I was taking a shower earlier—and Dr. King was about to present her with some flowers, and someone put tear gas in the fans. It was that crazy. She stood with Dr. King when it mattered the most.”
Aretha Louise Franklin was born on March 25, 1942, in Memphis to a father who was a minister and gospel singer and a mother who was also a gospel singer. After moving to Detroit and singing in a church there with her father following her parents’ split, she went on to sign a record contract with Columbia Records in 1960 and release her debut album, “The Great Aretha Franklin,” when she was just 18.
While she was based out of Detroit, she perfected a sound that was much different from that of the soul music of the city’s Motown Records, which boasted a roster of singers that at one time included Smokey Robinson, Marvin Gaye, The Isley Brothers, Gladys Knight & The Pips, Stevie Wonders and others.
See the timeline below of her incredible below.